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Professional & Academic Background 💼
At University I studied Accounting with Financial Management, graduating with first-class honours in 2017. During my time at University, I participated in Auditing internships and enjoyed that aspect of finance. I then went on to start a role in the National Audit Office but had to move on in a short space of time, due to a conflict of interest issues arising from my participation in politics as a local councillor. For 6 months I focused on my election campaign whilst applying for Auditing graduate schemes at financial service firm. I went on to land an Internal Auditing role at Deutsche bank and after 2 years in that role moved into a project management role at the Data office division.
Uber calling 💸 ...
Although, I was enjoying my role at Deutsche bank a recruiter had reached out to me for what seemed like the perfect opportunity, especially for where I was in my career at the time. As I was already working in a project management orientated role and as a local councillor, I was considered the perfect candidate for this new role at Uber as a Senior Operations Manager. In this role, I would be acting as a bridge between Uber and GMB, one of the UK’s largest Trade Unions. Due to my adaptability and willingness to learn, I soon found myself adopting a strategic role in addition to my responsibilities as a Senior Operations Manager. Management then approached me to talk about a pay rise due to the strategic addition to my responsibilities which was not in the initial job description.
Leaving Financial Services 👋
The main motivation behind my move from traditional finance was that I felt that my learning capacity was at its limit. I was excelling in my role but needed a new challenge and wanted something different. As the tech space is growing exponentially, I felt that it would be a great industry to move into. Even though I have only been at Uber a short while, I have learned a significant amount and I am loving the culture. Project turnaround is a lot quicker and more dynamic in startups!
Technicals 📉
I completed the ACCA accountancy qualification in 2020 but have not really used it in my roles so far. The ACCA qualification equipped me with softer skills, such as my ability to focus and retain large amounts of information at a given time, skills that I currently use at Uber. I don't regret doing the qualification and may find the technical side of the qualification more useful if I take more accounting focused role in the future.
Startup Life ⚙️
When working for a start-up it is important to be flexible and be willing to work on different parts of the business. Many employees at Uber wear different hats and assume a number of responsibilities in addition to their actual roles. After a short while at Uber, my colleagues recognised my ability to engage with drivers effectively and this has allowed me to progress fairly quickly. I currently manage the Steering Committee responsible for driver engagement which has received overwhelming support and interaction from the business.
Career Highlights ✨
I've had many amazing career moments but my proudest achievement so far is joining the Deutsche Bank Internal Audit department as a graduate and being given a special recognition award for improving efficiency within the operations, which also earned me a 10% bonus on my salary. Regardless of what stage of your career you are in, you can generate impact by looking at things with a fresh pair of eyes and aiding in innovation!
Tips for getting into Tech 👩🏾💻
⚡️ Always check your LinkedIn messages
⚡️ Reach out to tech recruiters
⚡️ Be prepared for technical and competency-based interviews
⚡️ Show genuine interest in the company you are applying for by doing lots of research!
Professional: Connect with Princess
Interviewer: Connect with Stephen